Carbonator



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June J11, 1946.

Patented June 11, 1946 y f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,401,916 i l I oARBoNA'roR Carmelo V. Di Pietro, Birmingham, Mich.

Application December 31, 1945, Serial No. 638,526

This invention relates to carbonators and more particularly to carbonators of the instantaneous type inv which carbon dioxide gas and water are mixed to maintain a constant volume of vcarbonated water regardless of the rate of draft.

' An object of the invention is to provide a carbonatorof the type referred to featured by simplicity, ease of service and low cost.

V'Another o-bject of the invention is to provide a carbonator in which the inow of water is maintained in definite proportion to the inow of gas lso that a maximum absorption of gas by water will result.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carbonator with a header wall that serves to receive` and mix water and gas and as an outlet forv carbonated water.

. Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of a carbonator incorporating the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the carbonator.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the carbonator with the water and gas supply systems associated therewith- The carbon-ator portion of the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral I8 and is made up of relatively few parts. A shell I I, preferably of cylindrical form, has a fixed bottom wall I2 and a top header wall I3, preferably formed of plastic or some non-conductor material, detachably xed by bolts I4 to a ring flange I5 secured to the exterior top end of the shell. The bottom wall has a central upstanding boss I6 aligned with a depending boss I1 on the header wall and such bosses serve as pilot means for a stand pipe I8 within and substantially coextensive with the shell I I. Such stand pipe has a slidingvflt on` the bosses and a sealing ring I9, located in a recess around boss I1, engages the head end portion of the pipe.

The space between the shell II and stand pipe I8 provides a chamber 29 for receiving a mixture of carbon dioxide gas and water and it is filled with wool 20 formed of strips of material such as stainless steel. The wool filled chamber com. municates the bottom interior of the stand pipe through means of slots 2| formed in the pipe and extending above the boss I6. Such slots provide the only fluid connection between the chamber 29 and the interior of the stand pipe I8.

Carbon dioxide gas and water flow into the shell through the header Wall I3 and water absorbed with gas ows out of the header wall through the draft tube 28, thus the water andv gas mixture fiows downwardly the full length of the chamber 29 in contact with ythe steel wool before entering the stand pipe and the draft tube. The inner bottom portion of the header wall is .formed with a shallow recess 22, preferably circular and exterior'of boss I'I, forming a mixing chamber for carbon dioxide gas and water. `A diffuser ring 23 having minute .orices 24 therethrough is fitted into the bottom of recess 22 and is suitably secured against the chamber forming wall. This diffuser ring may be formed of metal or plastic material. y y

Water and gas passages 25 and 26 lead through the header wall to the mixing recess 22 and their inlet ends extend through bosses 2l and 2T' projecting from the peripheral surface of the header wall.

An outlet draft tube 28 extends through the header wall and boss I1 into the stand pipe. It has an open bottom end preferably located adjacent boss i6. The tube is fixed in sealed relation with the header wall and is suitably connected with a draft arm (not shown) by pipe 59.

The header wall provides inlets for water and gas, an outlet for carbonated water, a mixing recess for the water and gas and a carrier for the diffuser. Upon removal of the bolts I4, the header wall with the draft tube attached may be removed from or assembled with the shell. While the header wall is removed, the stand pipe may be readily inserted or removed from the shell, and the steel wool may be inserted or removed from the shell. This arrangement of the carbonator parts provides a structure having simplicity and accessibility for service. A check valve, as indicated bythe numeral 30, is carried in each of the bosses 2'! and 21 and is formed of rubber having an inner end with a normally closed orifice 3I therein. A suitable gas conduit 32 is fixed at one end to boss 21 by coupling 33 and is fixed at its other end to a carbon dioxide drum 34, such conduit having a pressure regulating valve 35 therein. A water conduit 36 is fixed at one end by coupling 31 to boss 21 and leads from pump 38 connected by conduit 39 with a source of water 4U.

The pump is preferably operated by an electric motor 4I. Power line 42 leads to control device 43 and power line 44 leads to the motor, the motor being connected with the control device by line 45. The control device is connected to circuit control means responsiveto water levels in the carbonator so that the motor will be automatithe carbonator and such difference determines the control of the pump motor for cut in and cui?- out. When the water level contacts electrode 46 the circuit to the pump motor will be broken" thereby cutting out motor operation; and when" the water level falls below the lowerelectrode the current is completed to^ them'otorthereby operating the pump. Obviously one electrode could be employed as the motor cut out and other suitably operated Vmeans could be. provided toi cut in the motor. A pressure gage and'relief valve unit' 5D. iscarried bytheV headerwalland is inJ communicationl with the chamber in' the shell' through passage 25; The standpipe I8has apressure relief opening5l above the waterlevel. A suitable'chamber'maybe formed' around the shell, by' an outer shell 68" for the reception ofl refrigerating' means suchV asl icel orA a mechanical system (not shown).

1'. AA carbonator comprising a shell, a bottom wall4 closing'one end' of theshell, a stand pipe coextensivef with thelshell and,l spaced interiorly thereof to form a chamber, said; standpipe having its bottom endn in communication with the bottom-fp'ortion-ofrthechamb'er, steel wool substantially illing the-y chamber; a header" wall w detacha-.blyV iixed on the upper; endl-of the shell, a boss depending from the header wall on which the upper endof? the standv pipe is piloted, a draftA tube'intthe stand! piperiixedf tothe header wall, saidr header wall having a-shallow'recess in the-bottom portion forming a mixing'chamber. andzwater and carbon dioxide 'gas passages-therein. leadings tov such space, and..` a. diiuserf vthe header wall: at the. bottomiof thema-cess.v

2.' A'Lcarbonator comprising a shell, a bottom wall zclosing oneA end ofi the shell.'v and:y having*4 an' upstandin'g` pilot' boss; a" stand pipe in' the shell piloted'onlthe-boss, .said standipipe being spaced from theishelI forming; an intermediatefcham-ber and'fhavingpenings therethrougliab'ove theboss, steel Wool substantially filling; the: chamber, a header; wall detachably xed on l the.- upper end' of the.she1lf havingfmeans :for closing; the upper end of` the standjtube, a draft.tuberiixedtorthe` header wall andiextending; into-the: stand'. pipe; said' header wallihayingaalabottom shallow-A recess above: the chamber and passagesdor waterv and; carbon dioxide gas :leadingto thefrecess,cand..ai diffuserL xed. in the: header; wall .atf thezbottom" ofthefrecess.;

The; lower* ends of' the electrodes -are-Lar-ranged at-different levelsin` 3. A carbonator comprising a shell, a bottom' wall closing one end of the shell and having an upstanding pilot boss, a stand pipe coextensive with the shell and spaced interiorly thereof to form a chamber, said stand pipe having its lower end slidably piloted on the boss and slotted above the boss, steel wool substantially lling the chamber, a header wall detachably fixed on the upper endoffthef sh'e11,a pilotboss' depending from the header wall: andgslidably; arranged'fin the upper end of the stand pipe, a draft tube in the stand pipe fixed to the header Wall, said header wall having a shallow recess in the bottom portion forming a mixing space overlying the chamber and formedwithpassages for receiving water and carbon dioxide gas leading to said space, and a diill'iser'fixedi theiheader wall at the bottom ofgthefrecess.

4. A carbonator comprising a shell, a bottom wall closing one end of" the shell, a stand pipe coextensive withthe shell and "spacedlinteriorly thereof to form a' chamber,v said st'andpipe. hav` ing its bottom portion in communication'. with thebottom portion. of" the chamber, steely wool substantiallyfillingthe chamber.' a headeriwa'll a' draft tube in the' standJ pipe fixe'd't'o the header' wall, water inflow control means in thestan'd pipe xedt'o thehe'ader wall, said'l header wal1"hav ing a-recess'inthe bottomportionf'formingamix; ing space overlying.' the' chamber and :Water and" carbon dioxide' gas" inlet passages therein leading to the recess, and al diffuser xedfin the' head1 erwall'at the bottom of therecess;

55 A carbonatorc'omprising'a'shell closedat'the bottom endv and open at" thev top end; a header," wall detachably xed over the top "end of'theshell; a: draft tube carriedb'y theheader wall ,having its;inta-keendn adjacent thel bottom`Y of the` shell; said header-wall having'acircular shallowrecess open to the interior of theshell"andiinlet-pas= sages -for water andcarbon dioxide' gas leading to the upper portion of the recess, andi aL diffuser ring:iix'edftlaV thefvheader wall? inthe bottom oi the reeessY said ring having a# plurality` of minute o'ricest'herethrough opening 'to' the interiorof the shell.

61A A carbonator comprisingl a sh'e'l'li closedat ther'bottomandi open attlie top; asheader-"wall detachably fixed over the top.' of the'`r shell;4 albossA4 dependingV from the bottom of; the headr wall; atstandupipe telescopingVV the b'os's andhopenA tothe interior:bottomrportion ofi the shel-lgfa drafttubeinthestand pipe xedf to-th'e header-wall,- saidi' wall having yav circula'rrec'essiin the bottompjomV tion'there'of :surrounding the bossand 'Water andi carbon; dioxide gasiinlet passages leading to the recess; and: ar-diffuser ringl fixed f to the `vwall 'inthe' bottom of ftherecess'.V1 Y

CARMELQ v1: D1:- PIETRef q 

